Written Answers Thursday 24 June 2010

Scottish Executive

Ambulance Service

Margaret Smith (Edinburgh West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the NHS funds private ambulance transfers of patients when a bed in a more suitable unit is available but no Scottish Ambulance Service vehicle is available.

Nicola Sturgeon: Where it is clinically appropriate to do so, and when patient safety will not be compromised, NHS boards can fund private ambulance services to undertake patient transport or transfer services.

Animal Welfare

Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many copies of the Code of Practice for the Welfare of Dogs were produced and at what cost.

Richard Lochhead: The Scottish Government has to date produced 10,000 copies of the Code of Practice for the Welfare of Dogs at an approximate cost of £7,500.

Animal Welfare

Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many copies of the Code of Practice for the Welfare of Cats were produced and at what cost.

Richard Lochhead: The Scottish Government has to date produced 10,000 copies of the Code of Practice for the Welfare of Cats at an approximate cost of £7,500.

Animal Welfare

Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many copies of the Code of Practice for the Welfare of Equidae were produced and at what cost.

Richard Lochhead: The Scottish Government has to date produced 15,000 copies of the Code of Practice for the Welfare of Equidae at an approximate cost of £14,500.

Animal Welfare

Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to promote the Code of Practice for the Welfare of Dogs , the Code of Practice for the Welfare of Cats and the Code of Practice for the Welfare of Equidae to the public and relevant stakeholders.

Richard Lochhead: The Scottish Executive has no plans to produce publicity material to promote the production of the Codes of Practice for the Welfare of Dogs, Cats and Equidae ; however, copies of the Codes were sent to relevant animal welfare organisations, including the Scottish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, who promote them and issue them to the public. Copies of the codes have also been sent to local authorities, veterinary practices, various members of the public and, in the case of equidae, to riding schools, pony clubs and livery yards. The codes are also available for download on the Scottish Government website.

Cancer

David Whitton (Strathkelvin and Bearsden) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to review targets to reduce waiting times for cancer testing and receiving results.

Nicola Sturgeon: Cancer targets have already been reviewed and were included and published in the updated cancer plan, Better Cancer Care. The old 62-day target performance has now been met for five consecutive quarters and two new tougher 31 and 62-day targets have been introduced to be delivered by December 2011.

Communities

Jamie McGrigor (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what support it is giving or plans to give to the Machrihanish Airbase Community Company as it seeks to purchase the former RAF base at Machrihanish.

Roseanna Cunningham: The Scottish Government has and continues to work closely with the Machrihanish Airbase Community Company (MACC) in order to provide impartial advice on the community right to buy provisions of the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003. The act has enabled MACC to secure a pre-emptive right to buy on the former RAF airbase. It will continue to provide impartial advice to the community body throughout the right to buy process.

Communities

Jamie McGrigor (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it supports the community buyout of the former RAF base at Machrihanish by the Machrihanish Airbase Community Company.

Roseanna Cunningham: In February, Scottish Ministers approved a late application by Machrihanish Airbase Community Company (MACC) to register an interest in land on land that includes the ex-RAF Machrihanish Airbase using the community right to buy provisions of the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003. This has allowed MACC to proceed to submit a community right to buy application to Scottish Ministers. As ministers are currently considering this application, it would be inappropriate for me to comment further at present.

Crime

James Kelly (Glasgow Rutherglen) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment it has made of the impact of knife crime on NHS services.

Nicola Sturgeon: NHS Scotland recorded 1,857 admissions due to assault by a sharp object in financial year 2008-09. Over the same period, there were 3,688 acute occupied bed days across NHS Scotland associated with assault by a sharp object.

Drug Misuse

Ross Finnie (West of Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many pregnant women received treatment for (a) drug addiction and (b) abuse in 2009.

Fergus Ewing: Information on the specific number of pregnant women in Scotland who received treatment for drug addiction or drug abuse in 2009 is not held centrally and never has been by previous administrations.

  The Scottish Drug Misuse Database (SDMD) does, however, collect information on the number of new patients/clients receiving a specialist assessment of their drug misuse care needs and whether, at the time of presenting, the client or their partner are pregnant. In 2008-09, 226 new female patients/clients reporting that they or their partners were pregnant were recorded as having received an assessment on the SDMD. It should be noted that this is the number who were assessed for their drug misuse care needs, not necessarily the number who went on to receive treatment.

  The development of a follow-up reporting system for the SDMD, currently being rolled-out across Scotland, will allow patients to be tracked through the treatment system and reveal more information on the number of individuals engaging with treatment provision at any given time. It is also anticipated that this follow-up information, collected at set points throughout an individual’s care episode, will provide a fuller picture of the number of individuals, who self-report that they or their partner is pregnant.

Drug Misuse

Ross Finnie (West of Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many children were born to drug addicted parents in 2009, broken down by local authority area.

Fergus Ewing: This information is not held centrally in the form requested and never has been by previous administrations. However, information on maternities where a diagnosis of drug misuse is recorded, is available for the period 2007-08 in Drug Misuse Statistics Scotland 2009.  This was published by ISD in March 2010 and is available at the following address (See section C4 for Maternity and Neonatal Discharges):

  http://www.drugmisuse.isdscotland.org/publications/09dmss/09dmss-100.htm.

Drug Misuse

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Scottish Morbidity Record 24 is being used by all those who are monitoring drug misusers, including (a) voluntary organisations, (b) statutory NHS teams, (c) primary care providers and (d) the Scottish Prison Service.

Fergus Ewing: From 2001, Scottish Morbidity Record 24 (SMR24) forms were completed by voluntary organisations, statutory NHS teams and a limited number of primary care providers. SMR24 submissions were not received from the Scottish Prison Service. In April 2006, SMR24 was replaced by the Scottish Morbidity Record 25 (SMR25) form.

  The SMR25 form is an expanded version of the information that was previously collected using SMR24. From August 2008, there has been an incremental move from paper to web-based data collection. When the web system was introduced, the SMR25 dataset was expanded as follows:

  SMR25a – Initial assessment data (the same as previously submitted on paper forms)

  SMR25b – Follow-up data (only available to services once they begin using the web data collection system).

  At present, Information Services Division (ISD) Scotland gather SMR25 submissions from all services that provide a comprehensive or specialist assessment of a client’s care/treatment needs in relation to drug misuse. For those services that meet this definition:

  (a) Voluntary organisations – SMR25a submissions are received from all, and SMR25b submissions from those using the web data collection system.

  (b) Statutory NHS teams – SMR25a submissions are received from all, and SMR25b submissions from those using the web data collection system.

  (c) Primary Care Providers – SMR25a submissions are received from a limited number of Primary Care Providers and only on paper forms.

  (d) Scottish Prison Service – From 1 April 2010, the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) began submitting both SMR25a and SMR25b data to ISD Scotland using the web data collection system. All SPS drugs services are submitting data, but at present the private prisons are not submitting data.

Education

Ken Macintosh (Eastwood) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive which local authorities use home tuition to support children and young people who cannot attend school because of illness or poor health.

Adam Ingram: The information requested is not held centrally.

  Local authorities are required by the Standards in Scotland’s Schools Etc Act 2000 to make special arrangements for pupils who are unable to attend school due to prolonged ill health to receive education elsewhere than at an educational establishment. However, the type of provision to be made is not stipulated.

Education

Hugh O'Donnell (Central Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive who owns the intellectual property rights to the software that runs the Glow Scotland network.

Michael Russell: The Scottish ministers retain IP ownership of any software specifically produced by the contractor for Glow during delivery of the managed service. This does not include any software that is either provided by a third party or has not been specially written for Glow.

Education

Hugh O'Donnell (Central Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how much each local authority pays to be part of the Glow Scotland network and to whom this money is paid.

Michael Russell: The 32 local authorities in Scotland do not pay to access Glow.

Fire Service

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many incidents of vandalism have been recorded at fire stations or of fire service equipment in each of the last three years, broken down by (a) type of incident and (b) fire board area.

Fergus Ewing: This information is not held centrally.

Firearms

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that the Scotland Act 1998 (Transfer of Functions to the Scottish Ministers etc.) Order 1999 (SI 1999/1750) transfers responsibility for section 5 of the Firearms Act 1968 to the Scottish Ministers while leaving legislation on firearms matters reserved.

Kenny MacAskill: The Scotland Act 1998 (Transfer of Functions to the Scottish Ministers etc.) Order 1999 provides for the exercise of functions under section 5 of the Firearms Act 1968 in or as regards Scotland to be carried out by the Scottish Ministers rather than by a Minister of the Crown. It gives power to the Scottish Ministers to issue authorisations under Section 5 of the Firearms Act 1968 to those persons subject to that section. It does not devolve legislative competence in relation to those functions and responsibility for legislation on firearms remains reserved.

  The Scottish Government continues to press for devolution of firearms legislation so that we can best protect the people of Scotland.

Fisheries

Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-33328 by Richard Lochhead on 5 May 2010, whether it considers that the 2008 amendment to the Scottish farmed salmon protected geographical indication describing the stages of the production process required to take place within the designated area is no longer valid or does not apply to non-organic salmon.

Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-33328 by Richard Lochhead on 5 May 2010, whether the unamended Scottish farmed salmon protected geographical indication describing stages of the production process that must take place within the designated area is no longer valid or whether the Scottish Government considers that all stages of the production process are required to take place within the designated area.

Richard Lochhead: The amended PGI, as approved by Commission Regulation (EC) No 1195/2008, is valid and applies to both organic and non-organic salmon.

Further Education

Claire Baker (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what support it makes available to colleges once discretionary and childcare funds are fully used following in-year redistribution.

Michael Russell: Colleges are required to live within their means, however we do endeavour to help meet additional demands by redistributing surpluses where possible. In 2009-10 we redistributed £686,728.40 of higher education discretionary funds and £11,943,839 of further education discretionary funds in response to requests from colleges. These funds can be used to help students in financial difficulties as well as provide childcare support.

Further Education

Claire Baker (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how much colleges received in core grants for teaching and student support in the last four years, including allocations for 2010-11, broken down by (a) year and (b) college.

Michael Russell: The funding of individual colleges is a matter for the Scottish Funding Council. I have asked its chief executive to write to the member with this information.

Gambling

Annabel Goldie (West of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, while recognising that gambling is a reserved matter, whether it (a) has a strategy for dealing with problem gambling among young people through education, (b) has educational and advice services in place in schools, colleges and universities to make young people aware of the risks involved in gambling and (c) considers gambling among the under-18s to be a child protection issue and, if so, who is responsible for protecting young people from the risks associated with gambling and what (i) actions they have taken and (ii) successes they have achieved.

Adam Ingram: Curriculum for Excellence will ensure that our children and young people receive a broad, general education which will equip them to become successful learners, confident individuals, responsible citizens and   effective   contributors to society. This includes having opportunities to raise their awareness of future choices and aspirations. Their learning in Health and Wellbeing promotes confidence, independent thinking and positive attitudes, and encompasses learning around risk taking behaviour and how to assess and manage this. This strategy is strengthened by Section 1 of the Gambling Act 2005 which protects children and young people from being harmed or exploited by gambling.

  Education authorities and schools can support young people to deal with problem gambling using advice and information available to them from organisations such as Gamble Aware and GamCare which provide advice and information for those affected by gambling.

  The implementation of our Scottish Action Plan for Child Internet Safety will go some way to addressing the dangers associated with online gambling by ensuring that our children and young people have the knowledge and confidence that is necessary in order for them to use the internet both safely and responsibly. A key strand of the activity outlined the action plan will again be delivered through Curriculum for Excellence.

  Problem gambling is likely to affect a child or young person’s welfare and may be a child protection concern, but is unlikely to be an isolated issue. Schools and education authorities have structures and services in place to provide advice, guidance and support to children and young people. The guidance documents Happy, Safe and Achieving their Potential, and Safe and Well provide advice and guidance to schools on the 10 standards for personal support in schools and the protection of children respectively. Parents also play a vital role in educating their children on keeping themselves safe.

Health

Nicol Stephen (Aberdeen South) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive when the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing last met the chief executive of NHS Grampian and whether she discussed the impact of current funding difficulties on the delivery of frontline services.

Nicola Sturgeon: I meet the Chief Executive of NHS Grampian at various times throughout the year, for example when I chair the NHS board’s annual review. Officials from the Scottish Government Health Directorates meet the chief executive regularly and did so most recently on 15 June 2010. Discussions cover a range of current matters affecting service delivery, including the NHS board’s investment of its increased funding allocation for 2010-11 in frontline services.

Health

Jim Tolson (Dunfermline West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what measures are being put in place to ensure that healthcare professionals are following the most recent expert guidelines on coeliac disease to improve the diagnosis rates.

Shona Robison: All healthcare professionals are expected to keep up-to-date with guidance on long-term conditions such as Coeliac Disease. There are a number of approaches to ensure that this information is kept up-to-date, and readily available.

  GPs are often the first point of contact for people with symptoms suggestive of the condition. To support them, there are guidelines on the management of adults with Coeliac Disease produced by the Primary Care Society for Gastroenterology.

  More generally, clinicians have access to the guidance on the topic issued by the British Society of Gastroenterology earlier this year.

  NHS 24 also has detailed information on the symptoms, diagnosis and treatment of Coeliac Disease.

Health

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will require each NHS board to have produced a primary care pathway for overweight and obese adults.

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will require each NHS board to have produced a primary care pathway for overweight and obese children and young people

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive by what date it will require NHS boards to develop explicit care pathways offering a range of weight management interventions that may be targeted at various subgroups of the population.

Shona Robison: The Scottish Government’s role is to provide policies, frameworks and resources to NHS boards to enable clinicians and service planners to deliver high quality, safe and sustainable services to local communities. It is a matter for NHS boards to plan for and provide services to meet the assessed needs of their resident population, irrespective of age or clinical condition. This applies to management of overweight and obesity.

  Recent initiatives and reports issued to support NHS boards and clinicians to deliver effective care for overweight and obese adults and children include: Preventing Overweight and Obesity in Scotland: A Route Map Towards Healthy Weight; the SIGN guideline on Management of Obesity, and the national roll out of the Counterweight Programme approach to managing weight in primary care.

Health

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what consideration is being given to the establishment of a national managed clinical network for the treatment of severe and complex obesity.

Shona Robison: There are currently no plans to establish a national managed clinical network for the treatment of severe and complex obesity.

Housing

Cathy Peattie (Falkirk East) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what is being done to help first-time buyers.

Alex Neil: The Scottish Government spent a record £95 million in 2009-10 on continuing to help first time buyers through the Low-cost Initiative for First Time Buyers. We are now also developing more innovative forms of affordable housing, for example through a £2.5 million New Supply Shared Equity trial being funded in partnership with private developers.

  More widely, the Scottish Government previously pressed the UK Government for an exemption from stamp duty land tax on properties bought for less than £250,000 to help first time buyers. The previous UK Government implemented this and we will continue to maintain pressure on the new government to continue this exemption in this difficult economic climate.

Justice

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what measures are taken by the Scottish Criminal Cases Review Commission to inform the families of victims of announcements that it makes.

Kenny MacAskill: The Scottish Criminal Cases Review Commission has the power to refer a case to the High Court for determination where, following investigation, it believes there may have been a miscarriage of justice, and that it is in the interests of justice for a referral to be made. The commission has a formal arrangement with the Crown Office whereby the Crown Agent receives advance notification of all cases that the Commission refers to the High Court. This allows the Crown Agent to attempt to contact the complainer or next of kin. The commission’s documented Case Handling Procedures are available on its website.

Justice

Liam McArthur (Orkney) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether any payments under the current funding round of the LEADER initiative have been delayed and, if so, (a) how many, (b) for what reason, (c) what the total value is of such payments, (d) what action is being taken to allow the payments to be made and (e) when those awaiting payments can expect to receive them.

Roseanna Cunningham: This information is not held centrally by the Scottish Executive. Payments to beneficiaries under the LEADER programme are made by the lead partners on behalf of the LEADER Local Action Group (LAGs). The procedures and time scales for payment are determined at a local level. The Scottish Executive reimburse LAGs on a quarterly basis and are currently meeting payment targets to LAGs as agreed in the Service Level Agreement.

Marine (Scotland) Act 2010

Robin Harper (Lothians) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will issue guidance on how it defines an insignificant effect in relation to sections 82 and 83 of the Marine (Scotland) Act 2010.

Richard Lochhead: As indicated during Stage 2 of the Bill process, we intend to issue guidance in relation to sections 82 and 83 of the Marine (Scotland) Act 2010 on insignificant effects.

Marine (Scotland) Act 2010

Robin Harper (Lothians) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consult stakeholders when developing guidance on how it defines an insignificant effect in relation to sections 82 and 83 of the Marine (Scotland) Act 2010.

Richard Lochhead: Yes, relevant stakeholders will be consulted.

Ministerial Meetings

David Stewart (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when it last met representatives of NHS Highland and what issues were discussed.

Nicola Sturgeon: The Minister for Public Health and Sport chaired NHS Highland’s Annual Review in Oban on 22 June 2010 where a wide range of issues were discussed.

Public Transport

Charlie Gordon (Glasgow Cathcart) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of its £500 million grant to the Edinburgh tram scheme has been paid to its promoters.

Stewart Stevenson: 71% of the £500 million grant for the Edinburgh Tram scheme has been paid to the promoter, City of Edinburgh Council.

Rural Affairs

Sarah Boyack (Edinburgh Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the Total Income From Farming (TIFF) in Scotland was between 2005 and the latest year for which figures are available.

Richard Lochhead: In Scotland, Total Income From Farming (TIFF), at current prices without inflation, was:

  £442 million in 2005

  £567 million in 2006

  £663 million in 2007

  £608 million in 2008

  £589 million in 2009.

Rural Affairs

Sarah Boyack (Edinburgh Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what it is doing to address the £20 million fall in Total Income From Farming in Scotland between 2008 and 2009.

Sarah Boyack (Edinburgh Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what it is doing to address the decrease in average Farm Business Income from £40,900 in 2007-08 to £38,700 in 2008-09.

Richard Lochhead: In respect of 2009, the Government paid out £687 million in support for farming, funded from both the EU and Scottish Government budgets. The Government has streamlined application procedures under the Scotland Rural Development Programme, and also brought forward into 2009 and 2010 around £25 million of support for farm business development, from the later years of the programme. Around £330 million supporting 4,500 projects has now been committed under the Rural Priorities scheme, for farms and other rural businesses and organisations. 325 farms have taken advantage of a government-subsidised strategic review of their business under the Whole Farm Review Scheme. For hill farms, the government has introduced successive changes for 2009, 2010 and 2011 which will increase payment rates to active farmers in the most vulnerable areas by 38%. For the longer term, the government has appointed a committee of inquiry chaired by Brian Pack OBE to make recommendations on the future shape of farm support in Scotland. The government has also introduced a range of complementary measures under our food and drink policy, seeking to enhance consumer demand for, and the premium status of, Scottish produce.

Rural Affairs

Tavish Scott (Shetland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive when all applicants to the seventh round of the Rural Priorities scheme will be advised of the success or otherwise of their application.

Richard Lochhead: Results of the seventh round of the Rural Priorities scheme were announced by Richard Lochhead on 8 June 2010. Both approved and non-approved applications were published on the Rural Priorities element of the Scottish Government website that afternoon. As is standard practice, this is followed by a letter sent to the applicants by their Case Officer. Additional successful applicants will be notified and published on the website after they submit the necessary supporting documentation confirming that they meet the eligibility criteria.

Rural Affairs

Tavish Scott (Shetland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive when a full list of the successful applicants to the seventh round of the Rural Priorities scheme will be made public.

Richard Lochhead: The result to date of the seventh round of the Rural Priorities assessment process is available on the Scottish Government website. This was released onto the website on 8 June 2010 complementing my announcement of the results on the same day. Further successful applicants will be added to the website after they submit the necessary supporting documentation confirming that they meet the eligibility criteria.

Transport

Michael Matheson (Falkirk West) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-33310 by Stewart Stevenson on 12 May 2010, what proportion of the additional funding will be allocated to the green bus fund.

Stewart Stevenson: £3.4 million has been allocated to the Scottish Green Bus Fund.